Conventionally, backlight units for liquid crystal display apparatuses that generate light using a plurality of point light sources (for example, see Patent Document 1) have been known. Patent Document 1 discloses a backlight unit for a liquid crystal display apparatus using, as the point light sources, LEDs (light emitting diodes).
FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically showing an example of a structure of the above-described conventional backlight units. With reference to FIG. 10, in the conventional backlight unit, a light guide plate 102, a plurality of LEDs 103 and the like are housed inside a backlight case 101. The light guide plate 102 has a light incident surface 102a formed with a predetermined side surface, and a light emitting surface 102b formed with a front surface. The plurality of LEDs 103, mounted on a same mounting board 104, are arranged such that respective illuminating surfaces 103a thereof face the light incident surface 102a of the light guide plate 102. Although not shown in the figure, an optical sheet is disposed on a side of the light emitting surface (front surface) 102b of the light guide plate 102, and a reflective sheet is disposed on a back surface side opposite to the side of the light emitting surface (front surface) 102b of the light guide plate 102.    [Patent Document 1] JP-A-2006-309103